Membership Marketing for Botanical Gardens, Acquiring and Servicing members with direct mail, telemarketing, social media, digital marketing, two successful garden case studies

1. Entice, Enlist Enthrall:
Getting and Keeping Members in a
Multi-Channel World

2. Michelle Conklin, Executive Director
Tucson Botanical Garden
Bob Mermelstein, Chief Financial Officer
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Dana Hines, President and CEO
Membership Consultants
Rosie Siemer, Founder + CEO
Fiveseed, Inc.
Entice, Enlist Enthrall:
Getting and Keeping Members in a
Multi-Channel World

4. Entice…
The Garden
Flower Shows
Exhibitions
Benefits
Offers
Your Mission

5. Entice…
Your Garden
The Conservatories
Gardening
Plants

6. Entice…
Events
Flower Shows
Exhibitions
Experiences

7. Entice…
Benefits
Free Admission
Free Parking
Discounts

8. Entice…
Offers
Dollars off
2 Months Free
A Tote Bag

9. Entice…
Your mission
Research
Conservation
Saving Plants from Extinction

10. Enlist….
On-Site Sales
Direct mail
Telephone
Email
Social Media

11. On-Site Sales
Most popular method of gaining new members
Most cost effective
Everyone can do
Convert 2% to 4% of visitors to members
Best practices
Enlist….

12. Direct Mail
Still works!
Second to on-site sales
in terms of new
member volume
Components: lists,
offer, creative
Timing
Expectations
Enlist….

13. Enlist….
Telephone…
Still relevant, but with challenges
Renewals
Lapsed recapture
Capital campaign inclusion

14. Enlist….
Email
Social Media

15. Enthrall….
Experiences
Communications
Customer Service

16. Enthrall….
Experiences
Member Only Events
Previews
Tours and Travel
Spring flowers!
Special traveling exhibitions

17. Enthrall….
Communications

18. Enthrall….
Customer Service

20. Enlist….
No longer can an organization rely solely on a single
marketing activity to drive membership.
On-site Sales
Direct Mail
Telemarketing
Email
Social Media & Mobile
Digital Advertising
Loyalty

21. Enlist….
Your secret weapon…
Time with mail campaigns
Content strategy
Call to action
List building
Testing
Expanded email programs

24. Enlist….
Facebook is king…
Organic reach has been
greatly diminished
Advertising
CRM retargeting
Website retargeting
Time-bound offers
Cover photo
Join tab

25. Enlist….

26. Enlist….

27. Enlist….
Use social contests to generate rapid visibility and
email capture
Expand reach and deepen engagement
Increase the number of email subscribers
Capture one-to-one contact info and
create a path to membership
Expose member prospects and potential
donors to mission messaging
Connect emotionally with audiences and
capture personal stories
Garner media attention

28. Enlist….
Social media…

29. Enlist….
Social media contests…

30. Enlist….
Social media contests…

31. Enlist….
Social media contests…

32. Enlist….
Mobile is no longer a trend.
Offers
Geo-fencing
In-app advertising
Apps
Text-to-give

33. Enthrall….
Leveraging loyalty programs...
Capture contact info
Track activity
Encourage repeat visits
Engage on site and
online
Reward members

34. Enthrall….
18 to 29-year olds are more likely to use a brand’s
social media site for customer service interactions
(43%) ~ J.D. Power and Associates
The number of questions asked on brand pages on
Facebook has increased by 85% over the last year. ~
Social Bakers
57% expect the same response time at night and on
weekends as during normal business hours ~ Edison
Research

35. Source: Nielsen, 2012; Oracle, 2012;
Edison Research, 2012
32% of social
users expect a
response within
30 minutes
1 in 3 social media
users prefer social
media over phone for
customer service
53% of Twitter
users expect a
response
within 1 hour
Enthrall….

36. Enthrall….
Millennials…or the future of your membership
program
Crave community
High tech – high touch
Instant gratification
Expect real-time communication
72% want to spend money on an experience
Support issues, not organizations
Want VIP treatment and recognition
Support issues, not organizations
Things they like: discounts, contests, games, celebrity endorsements,
relatable characters, visual content

37. Enthrall….
Marketing automation is the future.
Member communications
Automated renewals
Personalized content
Customized event invitations

39. It is increasingly difficult to attain long-term financial
sustainability. Botanical Gardens and nonprofits, generally,
need to remain focused on maintaining the…
“Iron Triangle”
Organizational
Capacity
Financial
Capacity
Mission and Program

40. 7,292
8,986
13,009
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
11,000
12,000
13,000
14,000
Phipps Member Households
May 2010 - May 2015
Changed Membership Structure
& Rate Increase
9/2012

41. $601,846
$651,391
$686,752
$912,091
$1,070,275
$1,145,159
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000
$900,000
$1,000,000
$1,100,000
$1,200,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Phipps Member Revenues
12-Month's Ended May 31
Changed Membership Structure
& Rate Increase
9/2012

42. AWARENESS
The Phipps Membership Lifecycle…
How do we get prospective
members to discover Phipps?
We want to develop a relationship
with prospects so that
membership becomes a natural
consequence.
Direct mail acquisition, Bring a
Friend Day, We Our Members

43. AWARENESS
The Phipps Membership Lifecycle…
Events centered around the wants
of our members. Also, targeting
young professionals.
Direct mail acquisition is key to
finding new members.
We don’t place much emphasis on
promotions.

44. AWARENESS
The Phipps Membership Lifecycle…
Member exclusive events (Peek
Behind the Petals, Members’ Night)
Member preferred events (Jazz in
the Garden, Glasshouse Happy
Hour)
Member concierge

45. AWARENESS
The Phipps Membership Lifecycle…
Over 50% of our renewals come
through the Welcome Center
Focus on renewal of 1st year
members. Huge disparity of
renewal rates for 1st year members
and longer term members.
Approach to “touching” members
about renewal is key. How long
have you been doing what you’re
doing?

46. AWARENESS
The Phipps Membership Lifecycle…
We try to use a major
event/happening as an impetus to
rejoin
Should be part of your direct mail
acquisition campaign.

47. Entice…
Know who you’re enticing and structure your
membership program around that
Young families
Empty nesters
Retirees
College students
Millennials
Understand the ramifications of offers…good, bad
or indifferent
Discounts
Reciprocal memberships
Extra months (“drop dead deal”)

48. Entice…
What are we selling?
Seasonal Flower Shows
Center for Sustainable Landscapes
SEED Classroom
Free admission for 1 year
Quarterly members-only magazine
Member-exclusive events
Peek Behind the Petals
Members’ Night (Spring Show Preview)
Tour of Production Greenhouses (higher level
members)
Jazz in the Garden (member preferred)
Discounts in Gift Shops, Education classes

49. Enlist…
Majority of new members join onsite (79%)
Commission to Guest Associates for selling new
memberships ($3 - $6/per)
Up to 7 days to receive credit for admission
Conversion rate
Combination of email/social media to alert
members/non-members about upcoming events
Easy to navigate website
Phipps Virtual Member Card

50. Enthrall...
Personal touch: “Meet Your Concierge Team”
Personal response to all emails/voicemails from a
member of our membership team
E-blasts are signed with Membership Manager’s signature
Quick turnaround on getting cards out to new/renewed
members
Phipps Virtual Member Card to launch shortly
Look closely at Member benefits
Renewal rate: 68.1% overall (goal 70%), 74.7% multi year
(goal 75%), 42.6% 1st year (goal 45%)

51. Phipps Membership Web Page
Virtual Member
Card

52. Website and Facebook posts about Jazz
in the Garden and Peek Behind the
Petals

53. Renewal email signed by Membership Manager

55. Deep
roots
reaching
back to
the 1920’s

56. 5 ½ Acres
18 Display Gardens
Indoor Tropical Butterfly House
Outdoor Garden Railway
Café
2 Gift Shops
Gallery

57. Weird Plant Sale
Luninaria Nights
SAVOR Food Festival
GrowDown Garden
Competition
Ultimate Garden Tour
Feast of the Dearly Departed
Family Days…

58. 1982 -10 members
1983 - $1.00
Admission Fee on an
honor basis.
4,200 Households
$13/$9 Admission
2013
3,100 Household

59. Tucson Botanical Gardens
Member Households 1985 - 2013
Raiser’s Edge
Butterfly
Exhibit
Economy
Crash

60. The Plan….
Create a Compressive Acquisition Campaign
Direct Mail
Telefunding
Lapsed Donors
Build Annual Fund
Expand Outreach

61. The Budget….
2013 $10,000 General Operating Support Grant
“Support, Strengthen and Build Capacity”
This Grant Will Fund…
TBG first telefunding campaign to recapture lapsed
members, which will build capacity and strengthen our
organization.

62. The Plan….
Create a Compressive Acquisition Campaign
Direct Mail
Telefunding
Lapsed Donors
Build Annual Fund
Expand Outreach

63. Direct Mail….
Mail to all non-renewing members in database
Create an Incentive
Inexpensive
Can’t Refuse
P.S.
“If we don’t hear from you, someone will call you to
follow up.”

64. June - August
New Member Category….

65. $20 Dog Membership includes…
Unlimited Summer Admission (Regular
Dog Admission is $3 per visit)
Special Canine Membership Card with
Attachable Collar Ring
Sibling Dog Memberships for an
additional $10
New Member Category….

66. New Member Category….
$9,401.00
182 Donors
224 Gifts

67. Outreach….
Sales Table at all Garden Events
Tucson’s Top Three Community Events

68. Telefunding….
THE DISCUSSION

69. The Opposition….
Telemarketers – Hate em!
Too many telefunders
We ask too often
I hate getting phone calls during dinner
I hang up on those people
It won’t work

70. Phone calls can build relationships
Better than online and direct mail fundraising
If done right: Donor is grateful to hear from
you and you can’t get them off the phone
Very personal to the donor
Boost direct mail response quickly
The Reality….

71. The Discussion Continues….
Timeline
Phone Append
Write Scripts
Train the Staff
Schedule Staff
Listen and Evaluate
Adjust Campaign as needed
Produce Daily Reports
Compile Lists
Lapsed Members
Garden Events
Member Benefits
Review Script
Listen in!
Follow up
Members
Pledges
Thank You’s
“We can do this ourselves”

72. Can we, really?
Timeline
Phone Append
Write Scripts
Train the Staff
Schedule Staff
Listen and Evaluate
Adjust Campaign as needed
Produce Daily Reports
Compile Lists
Lapsed Members
Garden Events
Member Benefits
Review Script
Listen in!
Follow up
Members
Pledges
Thank You’s

73. Telefunding campaign
Goal Actual
% of those that said “Yes” 12%
% of Credit Card Purchases 60%
% of those that pledged 40%
Average renewal amount
Contact Rate
Number of Calls 2,000
Number of calls completed
Number of Hours Contracted 163
Total Number of Renewing Members
24%
67%
33%
$45.13
70%
1,500 out of 2,000
163
394

74. Telefunding campaign
EXPENSE
Outside Consultant $ 6,500
Direct Mail $ 2,800
Postage $ 600
TOTAL EXPENSE $ 9,900
INCOME
Direct Mail $ 9,805
Phone Calls $ 7,925
GOS Grant $10,000
TOTAL INCOME $27,730
LESS GOS GRANT ($10,000)
Profit $17,730

76. Retention…

77. Welcome Center Opens 9/1/15

78. Reason for success…
Right person asks
the right person for
the right amount for
the right project in
the right place at
the right time.

79. Reason for success…
The Six “Rights”
Efficiently Run Campaign
Tight Timeline
Great Incentive

80. 2150 N. Alvernon Way
Tucson, Arizona
(520) 326-9686
www.tucsonbotanical.org
3868 Russell Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63110
(520) 326-9686
www.membership-consultants.com
Denver, CO
303-880-7105
www.fiveseed.com
One Schenley Park
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 622-6915
phipps.conservatory.org